MISSOULA – Following a three day federal trial, a Montana jury found Kyle Robert Wick, 31, of Stevensville, guilty of manufacturing and dealing in firearms without a license. The charges stemmed from Wick’s advertisement and sale of “Uzi parts kits” on a gun sale website. Sentencing has been set for July 22, 2016.
Wick was originally indicted by a grand jury in October of 2015, for transfer of firearms not registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. A superseding indictment containing additional counts, including manufacturing and dealing firearms without paying tax, registering as a dealer, or having a license, was filed in March 2016. The Jury acquitted on counts related to transfer of unregistered firearms and failing to pay tax or register as a dealer, but found Wick guilty of dealing firearms without a license.
At trial, the government introduced evidence that in April of 2013, agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), found an advertisement for an “Uzi parts kit” for sale on the website gunbroker.com. In May of 2013, a confidential informant made contact with the seller, who was located in Stevensville, Montana. The seller identified himself as Kyle Wick. The informant purchased an Uzi parts kit from Wick for $1,200. Wick explained to the informant how to machine the parts to assemble them as a semi-automatic weapon.
The parts kit was turned over to ATF. An ATF officer was able to reassemble the parts into a functioning machinegun configuration. The ATF conducted a search for Kyle Robert Wick in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record (NFRTR), and failed to locate his name. The Uzi parts kit likewise was not registered with the NFRTR. ATF agents conducted a search of Wick’s Stevensville residence in March of 2014 and seized firearms parts and computers.
The agents interviewed Wick during the search of his residence. Wick said that he had conducted sales on gunbroker.com for approximately four years. He acknowledged that he did not have a license to manufacture firearms or machineguns. He stated that he had sold “at least several dozen” Uzi parts kits in addition to the one purchased by the informant. He said that he did all of the welding work in his garage. The ATF recovered numerous additional kits that Wick had sold online, which contained parts capable of assembling semi-automatic or fully automatic machineguns. Wick did not possess a license to manufacture or deal in firearms as required by the Gun Control Act of 1968.
“The US Department of Justice is dedicated to enforcing our existing gun laws and to ensuring that gun sales are conducted only by reputable dealers in compliance with the law,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Cotter. “The Jury’s verdict in this case reinforces the truth that nobody is above these laws, and that individuals like Mr. Wick, who attempt to circumvent them, will be held accountable.”
“Wick intentionally bypassed federal regulations by manufacturing and dealing firearms without a license,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Ken Croke. “These federal firearms regulations were enacted to protect American citizens by restricting criminals’ access to guns and assisting law enforcement investigations related to violent gun crime.”
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paulette Stewart and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Duerk. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives.